Fernando Balda

{{Short description|Ecuadorian politician (born 1971)}} {{family name hatnote|Balda|Flores|lang=Spanish}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Infobox person | name = | image = 14 de marzo de 2018 - Comisión de Participación Ciudadana (40814705641) (cropped).jpg | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Fernando Marcelo Balda Flores | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|8|3|df=y}} | birth_place = Guayaquil, Ecuador | political_party = PAIS Alliance (2006–2008) Patriotic Society (2008–2016) Unity, Change and Progress (since 2016) Ahead Ecuadorian Ahead (since 2018) | occupation = Politician and activist | years_active = | known_for = | notable_works = | criminal_charge = Slander | criminal_penalty = 2 years in prison (2012–2014) | criminal_status = Served sentence | alma_mater = University of Guayaquil }}

'''Fernando Marcelo Balda Flores''' (born 3 August 1971) is an Ecuadorian politician.

== Politics == Balda stated that he had been abducted in July 2012 in Bogotá, Colombia, to which he had fled because in 2009 he had dropped his support for the Ecuadorian government, and changed from being a member of parliament for Alianza País to an opposition member of the Patriotic Society Party,<ref>[http://www.elcomercio.com/actualidad/fernando-balda-comandante-policia-llamado.html Fernando Balda responde al comandante de la Policía y afirma que extenderá un llamado judicial en su contra], Narcisa Rendón, El Comercio, 28 de julio de 2015</ref> and had been accused of involvement in a failed coup in 2010.<ref>[https://www.eluniverso.com/noticias/2018/07/03/nota/6841868/asi-se-transformo-fernando-balda-seguidor-rafael-correa-acusador Así se transformó Fernando Balda de seguidor de Rafael Correa a acusador], El Universo, 3 July 2018 (in Spanish)</ref><ref name="Semana">[https://www.semana.com/nacion/articulo/historia-del-secuestro-del-ecuatoriano-fernando-balda-flores-en-colombia/570148 Secuestro de un opositor ecuatoriano en Cedritos: la verdadera historia], Semana, 6 June 2018 (in Spanish)</ref> Balda was extradited to Ecuador by Colombian authorities in October 2012 to serve a prison sentence.<ref>[https://www.eluniverso.com/noticias/2018/07/03/nota/6841868/asi-se-transformo-fernando-balda-seguidor-rafael-correa-acusador Así se transformó Fernando Balda de seguidor de Rafael Correa a acusador], El Universo, 3 July 2018 (in Spanish)</ref> As of 2019, Ecuador is asking for its former president Rafael Correa to be extradited from Belgium for involvement in the purported abduction.<ref>[https://www.eluniverso.com/noticias/2018/07/05/nota/6843704/difusion-roja-extradicion-correa-atadas-cnj Difusión roja y extradición de Rafael Correa, atadas a la Corte Nacional de Justicia Política], El Universo, 5 July 2018 (in Spanish)</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-44706554 Ecuador court orders ex-president Correa's arrest], BBC, 4 July 2018</ref>

Balda signed the ''Madrid Charter'', a document drafted by the right-wing Spanish party Vox that describes left-wing groups as enemies of Ibero-America involved in a "criminal project" that are "under the umbrella of the Cuban regime".<ref name=":42">{{Cite web|title=Carta de Madrid|url=https://fundaciondisenso.org/carta-de-madrid/|access-date=2021-12-07|website=Fundación Disenso|language=es}}</ref>

Sofía Espín who was a delegate for the Citizen Revolution visited Jéssica Falcón, who was in prison for allegedly being involved with the kidnapping of Balda.<ref name=jobback>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-13 |title=Funcionarios destituidos, entre los asambleístas que iniciarán funciones este viernes 14 de mayo |url=https://www.eluniverso.com/noticias/politica/funcionarios-destituidos-entre-los-asambleistas-que-iniciaran-funciones-este-viernes-14-de-mayo-nota/ |access-date=2022-05-24 |website=El Universo |language=es}}</ref> It was said that she and her lawyer, Yadira Cadena, made an offer of legal assistance, money, and political asylum in Belgium to Balda as she was willing to retract her evidence in the Balda case. Espin was investigated and dismissed from the National Assembly in November 2018 with a majority of 94 votes.<ref name=prison>{{Cite web |date=2019-01-23 |title=Juez confirma la orden de prisión preventiva contra exasambleísta Sofía Espín |url=https://www.eluniverso.com/noticias/2019/01/23/nota/7153940/juez-confirma-orden-prision-preventiva-contra-exasambleista-sofia |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=El Universo |language=es}}</ref> Espin herself went into exile.<ref name=lessercharge>{{Cite web |last=Telégrafo |first=El |date=2019-03-20 |title=Fiscalía plantea pena más baja para Espín |url=https://digital.eltelegrafo.com.ec/noticias/judicial/12/fiscalia-cargos-espin-cadena |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=El Telégrafo |language=es-es}}</ref>

== Personal life == Balda is married and has four children.<ref name="Semana"/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Balda, Fernando}} Category:Ecuadorian politicians Category:Living people Category:1971 births